Carroll bardwell



(NqModeL) I J. A. SCARBOROUGH $2; C. BARDWELL. WHIPFLETREE.

No.492,560. Patented Feb. 28, 1593.

. w!m nimum...

ll'nrrnn STA S PAT Orricnr-i JAMns A. scnnnonouen AND cannon. 'BARDWEIJL, or Wesson,- A

MISSISSIPPI.

WHIFFLETREE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 492,560, dated February 28, 1893;

Application filed September 10, 1892. Serial N0.'445,509. (ITo model.)

To aZZ whom/it may concern.-

.Be it known that we, JAMES A. SCARBOR- OUGH and CARROLL BARDWELL, citizens of the United States, residing at Wesson, in the county of Oopiah and State of Mississippi, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Whiffletrees, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a new and improved whifiictree; and it has for its object to provide an elastic whii'fletree of simple construction which will in a great measure relieve the draft animal and the harness of sudden strains in starting the vehicle or plow, as

the case may be, and also to break or relieve. I any sudden shock or strain caused by the vehicle striking an obstruction. I

A further object of the invention is to provide means for easily determining the amount of draft on the animal, and the horse power required to do the work, ih us providing means whereby it may be readily seen if the horse or draft animal is being over-taxed.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claim appended.

In the drawings:Figure l-is a plan view of our improved whillietree. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of its members. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing a modified form; and Fig.

the strips 0 c are secured together by bolts (Z which pass forwardly through said strips and have formed .at their forward ends eyes in which are secured the trace-hooks c e. .A slot f is formed in each end of the forward strip 0', through which the bolts pass, there by allowing said strip to partially straighten under a strain.

Passing centrally and 'rearwardly through the strips c'c' and mid-way between their ends, is a bolt orbarg. This bolt is provided at its forward end with a head g which bears against the front side of the forward strip, and its rear end is formed into an eye 9" by means of which it is connected to the clevis b. This bar 9 is provided as shown in Fig. 4, with a scale which indicates as the strips or leaves 0 of the whifllctree are drawn together by the draft, the amount of horse power required for the work. And by'means of this scale the driver may readily see when. the horse or draft animal is being overtaxed.

The operation of our whiftletree will be readily understood from the foregoing when taken in connection with the drawings. The traces are secured to the trace hooks, and the draft operating through them tends to straighten the bowed portion of the whill'letree, the bar g being drawn out rearwardly from between the leaves or members of it, and indicating by the number of divisions of the scale beyond the rear member a of the whillietree, how much power is required for the work.

It will be readily understood that these whil'lletrces will be tested and the scale marked when they are manufactured.

In Fig. 5, is shown a modified form of our device. In this construction it will be seen that we provide a coil spring which surrounds the bar gbetwcen themembcrs of the whiilietree, its ends bearingon the inner sides thereof. lly this construction we provide a stronger and stiffer whiftletree without materially adding to its cost or weight.

It will be seen that we provide a device of I Simple construction which will relieve the horse and harness of sudden strains and shocks, and by its scale attachment indicate to the driver if his horse is being over taxed. Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim is A whillletree consisting of two longitudinal elastic members, one of said members being slotted at its ends and secured directly to the ends 0f the other member so as 136 havezalimnds of the whiffletree, substantially as de' r 5 ited g i l nt, said members scribed. being p g y d QQ mm ach ether In testimony whereof Weaffix oursignatmes from Said @1161 ast ings thmugh ut he re in presence of two. witnesses.

mainder of their lengthQav bolt 360M661 tothe J. A. SCARBOROUGH.

forward member n the middle thereof and I" CARROLL BARDWELL. 1 passing rearwardly through the rear member Witnesses: and adapted to be secured at its rear end to H. J. BEAsLEY,

arvehicle, and trace-hooks secured to the F. C. COLLINS. 

